The present invention generally relates to a device and related methods for the separate storage and joint dispensing of two products that are to be mixed together only at the time of use. At least one of the products may be in the form of a liquid, or in a more viscous form, such as in the form of a cream or of a paste, for example. Such a device may be used, although not exclusively, in the field of cosmetics, and particularly in the field of hair coloration, for example. The dispensing device also may be useful in other fields requiring the mixing of two products only upon use, such as in the field of two-part adhesives, for example.
In the field of hair coloration, some formulations are prepared from the extemporaneous mixing of a coloring part and an oxidizing part. The coloring part may itself be prepared from the extemporaneous mixing of two components, one of which may generally be in the form of a cream and the other of which, also known as a xe2x80x9cboosterxe2x80x9d, may be in liquid form.
Many conventional devices are designed for carrying out a more or less automatic extemporaneous mixing of two components intended for preparing a composition, particularly a hair composition. Such devices may be well-suited to handling liquid components. They generally are less suitable when one of the components is in the form of a cream.
Preparing the coloring part of the hair coloring formulation referenced above may require close adherence to precise respective dosages of the two components from which it is prepared. If such dosages are not adhered to, there may be a significant impact on the color obtained. One solution, therefore, may be to provide the consumer with only the amount needed for a single use. In this case, the consumer empties the entire contents of each of the containers containing each of the compounds. The respective dosages may thus be adhered to. However, there may be a need for coloring kits that can be used in several stages, without thereby increasing the number of packages, which, from an economical point of view and from an environmental-protection point of view, may be undesirable.
An optional aspect of the invention may be to produce a device which, in a unit assembly, makes it possible to separately store two products with a view to extemporaneously mixing them during dispensing and wherein the dispensing may be broken down into several stages, with the two products being kept separate in the device throughout the life of the products.
Another optional aspect of the present invention may be to provide a device that may make it possible for the two products to be dispensed in relatively precise respective dosages that can be substantially repeated upon each use.
A further optional aspect of the invention may be to produce a device which is both economical to produce and/or simple to use.
Other optional aspects will become apparent in the description which follows.
The inventive devices and methods of dispensing that will be described herein may optionally solve some or all of the problems discussed above with reference to conventional dispensing devices and methods. It should be understood that the invention could be practiced without performing one or more of the optional aspects and/or advantages described above.
According to an optional aspect of the invention, a dispensing device comprises a first container defining a first reservoir configured to hold a first product and a second container at least partially surrounding the first container. The first container and the second container may define therebetween a second reservoir configured to hold a second product. The device may further comprise an outlet configured to permit flow of the first product and the second product from the device, and a flow control member moveable from a first position in which the flow control member prevents flow of the first product from the first reservoir, to a second position in which the flow control member permits flow of the first product from the first reservoir. A closure may be configured to be placed in a storage position in which the closure prevents flow of product through the outlet and prevents flow of the first product from the first reservoir.
Optionally, in the storage position, the closure may be configured to prevent flow communication between the first reservoir and the second reservoir. The first reservoir and the second reservoir may also be in flow communication with each other when the closure is moved from the storage position and the flow control member is in the second position.
According to yet another optional aspect of the invention, a dispensing device comprises a first container defining a first reservoir configured to hold a first product and a second container at least partially surrounding the first container. The first container and the second container may define therebetween a second reservoir configured to hold a second product. The dispensing device may further comprise an outlet configured to permit flow of the first product and the second product from the device and a flow control member moveable from a first position in which the flow control member prevents flow communication between the first reservoir and the second reservoir, to a second position in which the flow control member permits flow communication between the first reservoir and the second reservoir. A closure may be configured to be placed in a storage position in which the closure prevents flow of product through the outlet and prevents flow communication between the first reservoir and the second reservoir.
Optionally, flow communication between the first reservoir and the second reservoir may be prevented when one of the closure is in the storage position and the flow control member is in the first position. Also optionally, in the storage position, the closure may be configured to prevent flow of the first product from the first reservoir.
Movement of the closure to the storage position at least prior to a first use of the device for dispensing the first and second products optionally places the flow control member in the second position. Also optionally, when the closure is in the storage position, the closure may be configured to prevent flow of the first product via the flow control member when the flow control member is in the second position.
Movement of the closure to and from the storage position may be reversible. The dispensing device, according to another optional aspect of the invention, comprises an opening associated with the first container for flowing the first product from the first reservoir. The flow control member may be configured to close the opening in the first position. Optionally, the flow control member comprises a solid portion configured to close the opening when the flow control member is in the first position. As another option, the flow control member defines at least one passage, the at least one passage providing flow communication between the first reservoir and the second reservoir when the flow control member is in the second position. The flow control member also optionally comprises an annular rim configured to abut a free edge of the first container defining the opening when the flow control member is in the second position.
The dispensing device may further comprise an opening associated with the first container for flowing the first product from the first reservoir. The opening may be disposed at an axial position differing from the axial position of the outlet.
At least prior to a first use of the device for dispensing the first and second products, the closure may optionally be spaced from the flow control member. The opening optionally may be configured to be closed at least partially by the closure when the closure is in the storage position. The closure may include a stopper portion configured to plug the opening and a skirt portion surrounding the stopper portion. The skirt portion optionally covers the outlet when the closure is in the storage position. Also as an option, the skirt portion may include screw threading. The dispensing device optionally may comprise a neck portion including screw threading and the screw threading on the closure may be configured to engage with screw threading on a neck portion. The second container may be connected to the neck portion, and, optionally, the second container and the neck portion may be a single piece. As yet another option, the closure may be configured to close the outlet to prevent flow of product through the outlet and to simultaneously close the opening when the closure is in the storage position.
The closure of the dispensing device optionally includes screw threading configured to engage with screw threading on a portion of the second container and the closure optionally may be configured to be placed in the storage position by screwing the closure onto a portion of the second container.
The dispensing device according to yet another optional embodiment may comprise a protective sealing element configured to seal the outlet prior to a first use of the device for dispensing the first and second products. The closure optionally comprises a sharpened member configured to pierce the sealing element. The sharpened member may optionally be configured to pierce the sealing element when the closure is placed in the storage configuration prior to the first use of the device for dispensing.
The first container and the second container optionally may have substantially the same axial height. Also optionally, the device may be configured such that a flow rate of each of the first product and the second product during dispensing of the first and second products is a function of a ratio of the transverse cross-section of the first container and the transverse cross-section the second container. As yet another option, the first container and the second container may have an integral, single piece construction.
Movement of the closure to the storage position at least prior to a first use of the device may cause movement of the flow control member to the second position. Optionally, the flow control member is in the first position at least prior to a first use of the dispensing device for dispensing product.
The dispensing device also may comprise a flange element configured to prevent the closure from moving to the storage position prior to a first use of the device for dispensing the first and second products.
Optionally the flange element is detachable. Also optionally, the dispensing device may comprise a neck portion and the flange element may be in the form of a ring configured to surround the neck portion. The neck portion optionally comprises screw threading configured to engage with screw threading on the closure, and the ring optionally is configured to surround at least part of the screw threading on the neck portion.
At least part of the second container may optionally be made of a deformable material. Also as an option, at least part of the second container may be in the form of a tube. As yet another option, at least part of the second container may be made by one of molding and extruding. At least the part of the second container optionally may be made of a material chosen from aluminum and a multi-layer complex comprising at least one layer of aluminum. Aluminum may provide a barrier to oxygen, to which hair products and the like may be highly sensitive. At least part of the first container optionally may be made of a deformable material. Also optionally, the first container may be in the form of a bag.
According to yet another optional aspect of the invention, pressure exerted on the second container causes the first product and the second product to flow together from the outlet when the flow control member is in the second position and the closure is not in the storage position.
The dispensing device may further comprise a mounting member for mounting the first container within the second container. The mounting member may define at least one passage for flowing the second product from the second reservoir.
According to another optional aspect, the dispensing device further comprises the first product and the second product, and at least one of the first product, the second product, and a mixture of the first and second products is a product intended to be applied to at least one of one of hair, skin, and nails. Optionally, at least one of the first product, the second product, and a mixture of the first and second products is a product for coloring hair.
According to yet another optional aspect of the invention, a method of dispensing comprises providing a dispensing device, placing the flow control member in the second position, moving the closure from the storage position, and flowing the first product and the second product through the outlet.
Optionally, the placing of the flow control member comprises placing the closure in the storage position at least prior to a first use of the device for dispensing.
The closure may comprise screw threading configured to engage with screw threading on a portion of the device and the method optionally further comprises placing the closure in the storage position by screwing the closure on the device. The moving of the closure from the storage position may comprise unscrewing the closure from the device.
The flowing of the first product and the second product from the outlet optionally comprises exerting pressure on the second container. Also optionally, the moving of the closure from the storage position places the first reservoir and the second reservoir in flow communication with each other. As yet another option, the moving of the closure from the storage position may permit the first product to flow from the first reservoir.
The dispensing device may further comprise a sealing element configured to seal the outlet prior to a first use of the dispensing device for dispensing, and the method may further comprise moving at least a portion of the sealing element to enable flow via the outlet. Optionally, the closure comprises a sharpened member and the moving of the sealing element comprises piercing the sealing element with the sharpened member.
Yet another optional aspect of the invention includes a method of making a dispensing device. The method may comprise providing the first container, placing the flow control member in the first position, and filling the first reservoir with the first product. The method may further comprise sealing the outlet, inserting the first container within the second container, and filling the second reservoir with the second product.
As an option, the method further comprises filling the first reservoir through an open end of the first container and, also optionally, sealing the open end of the first container after the filling of the first reservoir. As yet another option, the method further comprises filling the second reservoir through an open end of the second container, and, also optionally, sealing the open end of the second container after the filling of the second reservoir.
According to yet another optional aspect, the method may comprise positioning the first and second containers in an inverted position during the filling of the first reservoir and the second reservoir. Optionally, the sealing of the outlet comprises sealing the outlet with a sealing element.
A neck portion optionally is associated with the second container and the method optionally further comprises placing a flange element around at least part of the neck portion. The method also optionally further comprises providing the closure on the neck portion above the flange element.
According to yet another optional aspect, the invention comprises a method of storing and dispensing first and second products. The method may comprise providing a dispensing device and preventing via the flow control member flow communication between the first reservoir and the second reservoir prior to a first dispensing of the first product and the second product. The method may further comprise moving the flow control member so as to place the first reservoir in flow communication with the second reservoir and flowing the first product and the second product from the first reservoir and the second reservoir, respectively, and out of the device. After flowing the first product and the second product out of the device, the method may comprise preventing, other than via the flow control member, flow communication between the first reservoir and the second reservoir.
Optionally, the moving of the flow control member comprises moving the flow control member to the second position. Also optionally, the preventing via the flow control member comprises preventing the first product to flow from the first reservoir. As yet another option, the preventing other than via the flow control member comprises preventing via the closure placed in the storage position.
The flowing of the first and second products out of the device optionally comprises flowing the first and second products through the outlet. The flowing of the first and second products may include exerting pressure on the second container.
Optionally, the moving of the flow control member occurs at least prior to a first flowing of the first and second products out of the device.
Yet another optional aspect of the invention includes a method of storing and dispensing first and second products, comprising providing a device comprising at least a first reservoir containing a first product, a second reservoir containing a second product, and a flow control member. The method may further comprise preventing via the flow control member flow communication between the first reservoir and the second reservoir prior to a first dispensing of the first product and the second product and moving the flow control member so as to place the first reservoir in flow communication with the second reservoir. The method may further comprise flowing the first product and the second product from the first reservoir and the second reservoir, respectively, and out of the device. After flowing the first product and the second product out of the device, the method may comprise preventing, other than via the flow control member, flow communication between the first reservoir and the second reservoir.
Optionally, the flowing of the first and second products includes exerting pressure on a portion of the device. Also optionally, the portion of the device defines the second reservoir.
Arranging one of the containers inside the other may allow the two products to be dispensed, in a single action, optionally via simple pressure exerted on the walls of the outer container. Through configuring the two containers appropriately, this single action may facilitate the adherence to the desired respective dosages of each of the two products during dispensing. As the switch from the storage position is reversible, the two products can be kept isolated from flow communication with each other throughout the life of the device.
In the case of a coloring composition, the ratio of the dosages between the first product and the second product optionally ranges from approximately 0.02 to approximately 0.2, or optionally from approximately 0.05 to approximately 0.2. For the specific application of hair coloring, the product contained in the first container may be in liquid form while the product contained in the second container may be in the form of a cream.
When the opening of the inner container is situated at a separate axial position from the axial position of the outlet of the device, the opening may play no part in reducing the cross-section of the outlet. This may make it possible to ensure dispensing at a high enough flow rate without the need to use a dispensing outlet of excessively large cross-section. Furthermore, with such an offset arrangement, the two products may be brought into close contact upstream of the outlet, which may make mixing them easier.
Plugging the opening of the inner container via the flow control member prior to first use of the device, and via other than the flow control member after first use may produce a structure that, prior to first use, makes it possible, on the one hand, to ensure that the device is appropriately isolated from the outside and, on the other hand, to ensure that the first product is isolated from the second product.
In the storage position, the closure may close both the outlet and the opening of the first container. Thus, to close the device again after first use, then subsequently after each later use, there optionally is just a single structure to be manipulated. This may make the action easier, while at the same time ensuring correct separation of the two products throughout the life of the device.
Aside from the structural and procedural arrangements set forth above, the invention could include a number of other arrangements, such as those explained hereinafter. It is to be understood that both the foregoing description and the following description are exemplary.